Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 183 of 1503)

      Albert Pujols to command $300 million?

      January 26, 2011 /
      St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols sits in the dugout watching the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on September 4, 2010. Cincinnati won the game 6-1. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

      The St. Louis Cardinals were hoping to retain Albert Pujols with a hometown discount. The only problem is that Pujols and his agent feel they’ve already given the club a discount and now want to cash in.

      According to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, Pujols and agent Dan Lozano opened the negotiation process with the Cardinals by asking for $300 million over 10 years. The first baseman is coming off a seven-year, $100 million contract that was club-friendly given his production, so now Pujols is hoping the club will return the favor.

      As Stark points out, there has never been a $300-million man in baseball history, which includes Alex Rodriguez (who signed a 10-year, $275 million contract in 2008). But given what Pujols has accomplished throughout his career and what he means to the Cardinals’ organization, what’s to say he shouldn’t become the first player to receive a $300 million deal? If there were only one player to make that much, shouldn’t it be Albert Pujols (the best pure hitter in the game)?

      The Cardinals have built their team around Pujols, so losing him really isn’t an option. And if they’re not willing to pony up the $300 million, that doesn’t mean another team won’t.

      Now obviously, we have no idea whether the Cubs’ new ownership is ready to start signing off on $300 million contracts. But the Cardinals can’t be sure of that. And even if the Cubs don’t drive the auction, does anybody honestly think Pujols won’t have a market, just because the other big spenders — the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers and Phillies — appear all set at first base for years to come?

      Let’s just tick off a few teams: Rangers … Nationals … Orioles … Blue Jays. Maybe the Dodgers, or Angels, or even the Mets if they can get their finances straight.

      “I wouldn’t even rule out the Red Sox and Yankees,” said one executive. “We’re talking about Albert Pujols. I could see them looking at first base, looking at DH and moving people around. I don’t think they could let that kind of talent go by.”

      The clock is ticking. Pujols said he wanted a new deal done by the time players had to report to spring training, which is now less than 30 days away. They have to make a decision and it looks like Pujols’ side isn’t willing to comprise just to stay loyal to the organization. It’s time for the Cardinals to either put a giant-sized hole in their bank account or fill a giant-sized hole in their lineup.

      External Sports, MLB

      The Ocho is going back to Chad Johnson

      January 25, 2011 /
      New York Jets Antonio Cromartie forces Cincinnati Bengals Chad Ochocinco out of bounds in the second quarter in week 12 of the NFL season at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on November 25, 2010. The Jets defeated the Bengals 26-10. UPI /John Angelillo

      You know it’s officially the end of the football season when I feel compelled to write about this crap.

      According to USA Today, Chad Ochocinco, the player formerly know as Chad Johnson, is going back to his birth name.

      In an appearance on ESPN, Ochocinco said his newer surname had run its course.

      “I don’t have a choice right now,” Ochocinco said. “I’ve done enough with the Ocho thing.”

      Ochocinco stemmed from a Spanish connection to his uniform number, 85 — which is not pronounced ochocinco in Spanish.

      Ochocinco did not say when the formal name change back to Johnson would occur.

      Word has it that pretty soon, the Ocho will just be known as:

      External Sports, NFL

      Charles Barkley rips those players who criticized Cutler

      January 25, 2011 /
      Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler stands on the field against the Oakland Raiders during the first quarter of a preseason game at Soldier Field in Chicago on August 21, 2010. UPI/Brian Kersey

      On Tuesday, Charles Barkley was on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000 in Chicago and voiced his displeasure with the players who criticized Jay Cutler for not finishing the NFC title game against the Packers last Sunday.

      “I was mad at the players, to be honest with you,” Barkley said Tuesday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000. “I think it was inappropriate and wrong to question a guy’s heart. Now reporters, they’re going to do what they want to. They’re entitled to their opinion. But as players, I don’t think it’s appropriate to question another guy’s heart.

      “That crosses the line, because you don’t know. If you go back and start looking at all the stuff that’s been said, and clearly one of the more vocal critics was Maurice Jones-Drew, and then you find out he missed the last two games with a bad knee. And he was really the first guy who crucified Jay. You have to be careful, because in the two most important games of the year, he sat out with a bad knee. And then it really makes him look like an idiot now.”

      “I just think it’s inappropriate,” Barkley said. “It’s fair to criticize guys when they don’t play well, but it’s 100 percent unfair to criticize guys … if a guy says he’s hurt, you have to respect that.”

      The main reason why this story has developed a mind of its own is because players were the ones who publicly attacked Cutler. Fans did too, but we’re idiots. We’re expected to react emotionally and not think things through. That’s our right as morons.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Derek Jeter move to the outfield? It would be unprecedented.

      January 25, 2011 /
      angers Ballpark in Arlington in Arlington, Texas USA, 16 October 2010. This is the second game of the best of seven of the 2010 American League Championship Series. The New York Yankees lead the series 1-0. EPA/PAUL BUCK fotoglif764240

      On Monday, Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman told the media that he could envision Derek Jeter moving from shortstop to the outfield before his new contract runs out in 2014. But as Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk writes, that kind of move would be unprecedented for a 37-year-old shortstop.

      * Exactly 16 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in left field. None of them did both after the age of 35;

      * Exactly 17 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in center field. None of them did both after the age of 35;

      * Exactly 17 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in right field. None of them did both after the age of 35.

      Maybe Jeter could be a utility guy who can cover the outfield from time to time, but there is no precedent whatsoever for a guy his age moving from the everyday shortstop position to an everyday position in the outfield. And no, Robin Yount — everyone’s favorite go-to guy on this subject — didn’t do it either. His last game at shortstop came when he was 28. Past the age of 30 he was an outfielder/DH with some occasional starts at first.

      And that’s before you factor in Jeter’s bat, which unless he bounces back to 2009 form and stays there for the next four years, will not be stout enough to justify a position in the outfield.

      I can’t see Jeter moving to the outfield either, although my reasoning is way more subjective than Calcaterra’s take.

      Jeter won’t move to the outfield because he’s Derek Jeter. He’s the New York Yankees shortstop and will be the New York Yankees shortstop until he finally gives way to a protégée. For as classy as Jeter is, he still has an ego and I highly doubt he would OK a move to the outfield – even as his defensive numbers continue to decline.

      I’m not suggesting that Jeter is too pompous to help his team, but for the life of me I can’t see him sauntering out to left field when his time is up at short. I could see him moving to third if the Yankees figure out what to do with Alex Rodriguez. But the outfield? Nah.

      External Sports, MLB

      Lions’ LB Follett calls Matthew Stafford a “china doll”

      January 25, 2011 /
      Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford attemts a pass during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago on September 12, 2010. UPI/Brian Kersey

      After he was carted off the field strapped to a stretcher following an injury in a game against the Giants earlier this season, one would think that Lions’ linebacker Zack Follett would be sensitive when it came to talking about player injuries. One would think…

      When asked what he thinks of Matthew Stafford in a recently interview with ESPN Radio 1430 AM, Follett called his quarterback a “china doll.”

      From the Detroit Free Press:

      “Stafford, good guy,” Follett said. “He’s a china doll right now. Anytime he gets hit, he goes down. But the kid is — hopefully, it’s just patiently waiting for him, because the kid is an awesome talent. He has a tremendous arm. The throws that he makes during practice when no one can touch him, he looks like an All-American quarterback, but put him in a game, and you hit his shoulder. So hopefully, say a couple prayers, keep him healthy next year, and the Lions can do some damage in the NFC.”

      As usual when it comes to controversial comments, I wonder if we’re getting the full context of the interview. If we are, then I wonder why a player (a former seventh round draft pick who hasn’t done squat in the league, no less) who ended the season on IR would throw his quarterback under the bus like that. Did Follett compliment Stafford? Yeah, he basically said that Stafford is an amazing talent and can make all the throws in practice when nobody is trying to defend him. That’s like saying a student is a great test taker when he’s at home and can look up the answers in the back of the book.

      That said, it’s not like Follett didn’t speak the truth. Some fans are always saying how they’d wish athletes were more honest and say what’s really on their minds, and that’s what Follett did. Stafford has missed more games (19) than he’s played (13) in his first two NFL seasons, so it’s not a stretch to call him call him injury prone.

      But again, if you’re a seventh round draft pick that wasn’t playing very well before you suffered a horrific season-ending injury, then just keep your mouth shut. What has Follett done to earn the right to call Stafford a “china doll?”

      External Sports, NFL

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